About Us

The world is becoming a dull and safe place ruled by health and safety bureaucrats and this applies to travel, too. However if you have a pile of excrement on your drive which needs scrapping and the local car scrap dump does not fill you with excitement, then buy some cable ties and gaffer tape, pack some food, fill your water bottle and jump in and go south or north or somewhere. You will have no support and backup, and mechanical knowledge is frowned upon. However the advantage of going with a group is that help may be at hand if your car dies. Our Roadbook will give you details of where to go, and what visas and paperwork you will need.

The Dakar challenges hope to raise money for charities. Your car must be passed over to be auctioned for local good causes. After all, you would not get much cash for it on the street and might be prevented from leaving the country if you try to do so. Driving home takes too long and is too expensive. Crap Car Svengali Julian Nowill created the first banger challenge in 2002 and his career as a stockbroker is simply a cover for his love for all things Soviet. These events are run in his spare time with help from his wife, Hilary which keeps entry fees low.

Each year we hit Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Mali in January / February. These runs last 1, 2 or 3 weeks.